Pleasurewood Hills

[mrbrightside]

They changed the name and then did the question marks though... Originally it was a mine train ride, with minor themeing - hence why it was called the Cannonball Express. Maybe over the close season they'll change the name again as they're meant to be upgrading it.

[.Will]

Oh I understand. Looking at RCDB it was repainted and changed to Enigma in 2005 and then the question marks were added and afterwards removed? So the trains are gold again?

Just noticed that the final brake run is on the final bend. Little stange but Anton Schwarzkopf loved putting things on the bend, lift hills etc!

:P

[DiogoJ42]

The trains are similar to Knightmare, except that there are two rows per car instead of one. Same lap bars, but at least there are no bloody seatbelts! :P But with only 8 people per train, and only one train, the throughput is embarrassing. They NEED more trains.

I preferred the question marks as well.

[Nightfall]

I preferred it as Cannonball Express and also still refer to it as that.

What mrbrightside hasn't mentioned is that it was originally themed as a mine, hence why it's built into a pit in the ground. When I was younger and hadn't ventured as far as Alton Towers this was my Nemesis. Then in 2005 they re-theme it by ripped out all the theme and adding the question marks. They did a lot of bizarre things in 2005, including renaming all the rides in an attempt to convince people everything was new.



As you can see on this picture there was some fake rockwork that used to get very close to the riders. I've got some much better pictures than the ones on RCDB but none of them are digital, and I'm not sure where they are.

Although I would have painted the base black I love the look of the new trains. There even better than they were before.
The block breaks mid hill also make a lot of sense and are much better than using mid-course break runs. At least they would be if all the carts where still being used.

[mrbrightside]

I briefly mentioned it but hadn't got any picture proof so couldn't be as convincing as that I forgot it actually ever looked that good!

When they re(un)-themed it became this:



Clean, but very bare. And even that is wearing very thin now... It needs the close season revamp. Let's hope its good.

[Khanage]

Yes complete removal of any type of theme, that was when the park decided that Wizzy Dizzy and Merry Go Straight were good names for rides!

That photo Nightfall posted of Canonball Express is great to see reminds me of the good ol' days of PWH. That was my Nemesis too!

I really hope the planned retheme of Enigma brings back some sort of theme.

[mrbrightside]

...And more than 1 train on the track at once haha!

[themealgang]

Pleasurewood Hills is a funny little place. I used to visit when I was a younger child, and loved it. I have not visited since Wipeout has opened (I can remember the last time I went was when the opening was pushed back), but what annoys me about this place is that it has such great potential. They want to be a thrill park, and for coaster enthusiasts having the one of a kind "Enigma" surly makes this place worth a visit.

I think the news of the drop tower is great; it's really hard to imagine any type of drop ride coming to this country that is taller than Apocalypse! Despite being manufactured (by the looks of it) by Moser and having a truly outrageous colour scheme, it shows that the new owners mean business. With a 2013 "mega" attraction planned, there is no reason that Pleasurewood Hills could not pull it out of the bag and surprise us with wood. However, in today's society, we all know that the chances of any kind of wood in a UK theme park is looking un-likely.

[zs chris]

[quote=""themealgang""]There is no reason that Pleasurewood Hills could not pull it out of the bag and surprise us with wood. However, in today's society, we all know that the chances of any kind of wood in a UK theme park is looking un-likely. [/quote]

The area already has one world class woodie

As previously stated, the park is just way too far out of the way to have any considerable visitor pull where it is.. Unfortunately, it's cheaper to go to Spain for the weekend than it is to come to Yarmouth. Oil and Gas keeps the area afloat now, and tourism has been dying off for years now (very evident in the decline of decent fairground rides GYPB used to have).

However, the drop tower is great news for Pleasurewood Hills, and hopefully will pull in plenty more visitors for them (however, I refuse to call Rattlesnake - Snake in the Grass and Enigma will always be Cannonball Express to me :P)

I've said it before and i'll say it again - TTF East next year please! :P

[Sam]

I think the issue of focus groups and the general public not liking wood is less of an issue or not an issue at all with the smaller "aspirational" parks.

Basically, the appeal of modern wooden coasters is that they are a cheap, you have to pay about double the price to get a steel coaster of the same magnitude and quality. Big parks (Merlin) have the money for either, so if a focus group tells them the public prefer steel, they can splash the cash. Smaller parks will have a choice between getting a high quality major wood coaster or getting a rubbish steel coaster (think Mumbo Jumbo) for the same price. Even if the public would prefer a major high-quality steel coaster (which Merlin can offer) to a major high-quality wood coaster, I think they'd prefer a major high-quality wood coaster to a crap steel coaster.

For example, Mumbo Jumbo cost £4 million according to RCDB, as did this GCI roughly. I hope Pleasurewood Hills would have the sense to go for the latter.

[mrbrightside]

The only issue with cost is that, well, PWH doesn't have much money at all. I think I am right in saying that the new owners have promised £3m over 3 years - and with 2 of those featuring "mega" rides, it doesn't give much money to buy new. This drop tower will probably take a sizeable chunk (in buying, transporting and installing).

The more important issue though is noise. PWH have such strict regulations on noise and planning due to the local housing that it's very hard for them to put in new rides. Wipeout just had to go through a lengthy appeal process to raise its noise limits with the council as people were complaining about the nosie the brakes make on the backwards lift hill... There was also many letters against the drop tower application because people living nearby were worried about noise. It's bloody irritating because it limits PWH on their development to an extent, and I'd just be worried that a decent woodie would be too noisy / too small to be good.

[spark]

*Cough, sounds like AA all over again!

[mrbrightside]

We may have your ride, but let's hope it doesn't end up like AA ended...

[Khanage]

Imagine a wooden coaster at PWH, it would be amazing but it just won't happen due to the noise issue the park faces.

PWH will not go the route of AA, I am certain of it. But I would imagine they have been close in the past 10 years. They are a park on the up and I can only see good things from now on.

[spark]

Oh i agree, Its never nice seeing a park go under

[Tom G]

Imagine what a Merlin major ride budget of £15-£20 million would do for a wooden ride.

[mrbrightside]

hence the cross-valley woody plans for AT which we, alas, will probably never see

---- Post Info Added ----

Plans for this year's (very late) Laser Labyrinth have surfaced eventually:

[mrbrightside]

Laser Labyrinth is nearly complete:

[ukool]

Been here twice when we used to go camping, all ways a fun day out. Not been since its been taken over, but would go if was in the area again.

[Khanage]

:hsmug: